Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Saddlemen XL Drifters-do they fit?

The backs on my XL Drifter Slants cracked on my last trip and I was planning on trying to fix them. I called Saddlemen, and they offered to replace them for free. So if anyone has issues, I think they were pretty good about it.

BUT, the reason they cracked is that I probably overloaded them. I was considering exchanging them for the regular, non-slanted Drifters but wasn't sure if they'd fit with the shock being in the way maybe. I'm using the supports for a Honda, can't think of the name of them, and I am fastening the bags to the supports and then bolting the support to the bike. Would anyone have XL Drifters on their bikes and know if they also fit the Amercia?

I better keep an eye on mine.

I've gone through 3 sets. Saddlemen were always good about replacing them no question, but man, 2 sets cracked so bad it was scary.
I'd rather they made a better product so they wouldn't have to be so good about replacing them!
Using TourMaster Cruiser II's now, with better brackets.

My Saddleman Jumbo Slants are about 3 years old now and have cracked badly. Was yours replaced after the warrantee ran out?

My Jumbo Slant Drifters were cracking too, from normal use. How I fixed them was to attach a metal plate to the inside of the bag, bolted through to the Easy Brackets. I posted pics of this on the OTHER Triumph site. If you need more info let me know. Good luck!

They were both replaced at just less than a year. When I called they didn't ask for any receipt. purchase date, or anything like that. Just gave me a return authorization and I boxed them up and shipped them off.

Do the XL Tourmasters fit, or do you need to use Slant Tourmasters? Will the easy brackets work with these bags? ie: can you attach the back of these bags to the brackets so you can just bolt up the easy brackets to the fender bolts and go? And, does the center yoke come off so I don't have to have them as a sling on?

FYI, Saddlemen did not ask for a receipt or prrof of purchase. I think they know they have problems and will just replace them as they break.

C.

Mine started to tear also, after I just bolted them to the
Easy Brackets, and overloaded them for the NH Rally.
I made backing plates from 1/4" plexiglass, and now they're
rock-solid.

uncle Charlie

I got the TM Cruiser II XL regular box. The slants just look like they don't have quite as much room due to the slant. The TMs are much more robust than the Saddlemen.
Also got Bellacorse Bag Brackets that would probably help the Saddlemen last longer.

What we have here is failure to communicate...

The backing will crack. Getting them replaced does little to prevent them from leaving your beer and batteries all over the dirt road. Getting a refund or fixing them is in order. Bonnyusa made an underbag support, as well as an insert. I made a plexiglass insert. oops wrong picture. But wasn't she a fine female dog?

Click here to view more pictures of the reconstruction.

Moe, that's virtually identical to what I did, except with sheet metal.

I also used sheet metal but still got some cracks on the Nor'East run specifically because I didn't reinforce the entire surface of the backing. I would have assumed some reinforcement would be enough. Nope.

So, I should contact Saddleman directly?

Good.

Ryan

p.s. I must not have the touch, as Saddlemen was no help whatsoever.

Is that 1'4" plexi?

As mentioned, I beefed up the support a bit